What Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation does

The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation is a Nebraska-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded on July 23, 2008, by Blake and Kathy Collingsworth following the drowning death of their son Joshua on June 4, 2008. The foundation's stated mission is to remove accidental drowning from its position as the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, through early childhood water safety education and drowning prevention awareness.

The foundation's core product is the "Josh the Baby Otter" children's book, which delivers a simple safety message — stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult — designed for use in early childhood education. Distribution is community-led and educational rather than commercial: tens of thousands of free copies have been placed in daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms in the U.S. and internationally. A YouTube video adaptation of the book extends reach through digital media, and the book is also available for individual purchase via joshtheotter.com. No proprietary technology, software platform, or digital infrastructure underpins the foundation's operations.

The foundation's business model is donation-funded. Contributions are solicited through the website (PayPal), mailed checks, in-memoriam gifts, and bank referrals (City Bank & Trust, Lincoln, NE). The foundation has no physical office; board members and support staff work remotely. Operations are governed by a board of directors and board of trustees that includes the founding family, a pediatric intensivist, and water safety advocates. Mission-aligned affiliations include the National Water Safety Congress, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Exclusive Resorts. The entity does not disclose revenue, headcount, or financial statements.

Name

Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation

Legal name

Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation

Website

https://joshuamemorial.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Safety Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Safety & Hygiene Early Learning Content (EDAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trauma-Informed & Resilience-Building Programs (Early Childhood) (EDACAOAD), Lifeguard, Water Rescue & Aquatic Safety Training (EDAOAMAJ)

Keywords

• Water safety education
• Drowning prevention programs
• Children's safety books
• Early childhood education
• Nonprofit foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) exempt organization. The foundation relies on donations from the public to fund its water safety education programs and book distribution. Donations are tax-deductible.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The foundation creates and distributes the "Josh the Baby Otter" children's water safety book, delivering a simple, fun message that children should stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult. It supports drowning prevention through early childhood education by distributing tens of thousands of free copies of the book to daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms across the United States and internationally, supplemented by a YouTube video adaptation and related water safety educational materials.

Product overview

Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation operates a water safety education program anchored by the "Josh the Baby Otter" book as its primary product. The foundation distributes this children's book along with related educational materials to daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms. The program also includes a YouTube video adaptation of the book. All offerings center on promoting water safety awareness and drowning prevention through early childhood education, with the core message of teaching children to stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Josh the Otter: Water safety education brand featuring the 'Josh the Baby Otter' book and water safety awareness materials for children.

Products and services

• Josh the Baby Otter Book A children's water safety book designed to teach young children to stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult. Distributed free of charge in tens of thousands of copies to daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms across the United States and globally, with additional copies available for individual purchase through joshtheotter.com. Aimed at parents, educators, and early childhood audiences seeking age-appropriate drowning prevention materials.
• Josh the Baby Otter YouTube Video Video adaptation of the Josh the Baby Otter book available on YouTube, providing a free visual medium for delivering the water safety message to children, parents, and educators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death for children 1-4 years according to CDC statistics

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Exclusive ResortsminorOthers · 1 January 2008Logo displayed on the foundation's website as part of organizations promoting child safety and well-being. Nature of partnership appears to be promotional support or alignment with water safety mission.
• National Water Safety Congress (NWSC)coreOthers · 1 January 2008Logo displayed as a key organizational partner. The National Water Safety Congress is a water safety organization that the foundation supports and collaborates with for water safety awareness initiatives.
• U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)minorOthers · 1 January 2008Logo displayed on the foundation's website. Relationship appears to be promotional alignment with water safety mission rather than formal partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Colin's Hope: Drowning prevention nonprofit founded after the loss of a young child, distributing water safety educational materials and engaging in community awareness. Mirrors the Joshua Collingsworth Foundation's model of mission-driven book and curriculum distribution to families and schools.
• Stop Drowning Now: Nonprofit dedicated to drowning prevention through education and water safety awareness programs aimed at children and parents. Comparable in scope, audience (families with young children), and educational distribution approach.
• National Drowning Prevention Alliance: National nonprofit coalition focused on drowning prevention through education, advocacy, and awareness — directly comparable mission to the Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation, targeting similar audiences of parents, educators, and aquatic safety professionals.
• Swim Safe Forever: Nonprofit promoting water safety education for children. Direct peer in terms of mission, target audience, and educational distribution approach.

Broad incumbents

• Safe Kids Worldwide: Global nonprofit focused on preventing childhood injuries, including drowning. Overlaps with the foundation's child water safety education mission but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple injury categories.
• Infant Swimming Resource (ISR): Established provider of infant and toddler self-rescue swimming lessons. While more focused on direct swim instruction, ISR addresses the same drowning prevention problem for children 1-4 and serves a closely overlapping customer base of young families.
• Pool Safely (CPSC): U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission public education campaign on pool and spa safety. Comparable water safety educational mission targeting families with children, though backed by federal authority rather than a grassroots nonprofit.

Others

• International Swimming Hall of Fame: Organization that promotes swimming, water safety, and aquatic education through historical preservation and educational programming. Operates adjacent to the foundation's water safety mission as a broader ecosystem player.
• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: Commercial swim school franchise offering lessons for infants and young children. While a for-profit commercial operator, it directly addresses the same drowning prevention gap for the 1-4 age group targeted by the foundation.

Regional players

• Lifesaving Society (Canada): Canadian water safety charity focused on drowning prevention through education and lifeguard training. Comparable in drowning prevention mission and educational distribution, though primarily serving Canada.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joshua-collingsworth-memorial-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation